Melanoma: Our Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new treatments and diagnostic tools. If you are eligible to participate in a clinical trial, you may have access to new melanoma therapies not widely available elsewhere.

As a result of clinical trial findings, MSK has made major advances in two areas in particular: the development of immunotherapies that boost your immune system’s ability to fight the cancer (such as ipilimumab) and targeted therapies that home in on specific defects in your individual cancer, blocking the growth of cancer cells while sparing most normal, healthy cells.

We continue to conduct trials with ipilimumab and other experimental immunotherapies and targeted therapies and are expert at selecting investigational therapies most likely to benefit you.

When you speak to us about participating in a melanoma clinical trial, we’ll discuss how the process works. During the informed consent process — before you decide whether you want to join — we’ll also tell you if the trial you are considering involves some participants receiving a placebo (a pill, liquid, or powder that mimics the look of the treatment drug but has no effect).

Choose from the list of current studies below to learn more about a particular study.